Friarage Community Primary School Ofsted Report

Full report

In accordance with section 44(1) of the Education Act 2005, Her Majesty’s Chief Inspector is of the opinion that this school requires special measures because it is failing to give its pupils an acceptable standard of education and the persons responsible for leading, managing or governing the school are not demonstrating the capacity to secure the necessary improvement in the school.

What does the school need to do to improve further?

• Rapidly improve the effectiveness of leadership and management, including governance, by ensuring that:
  • additional funding is used effectively to enable disadvantaged pupils to make good progress
  • leaders’ monitoring of teaching and learning is accurate, and any underperformance is tackled swiftly
  • middle leaders have the skills and knowledge to contribute to the school’s improvement
  • a rich and varied curriculum is in place which develops pupils’ knowledge and skills across a range of subjects
  • governors hold school leaders to account for improving pupils’ outcomes.
• Rapidly improve teaching, learning and assessment, so that a higher proportion of pupils make rapid progress across key stage 2 and attain the standards expected for their age, by:
  • raising adults’ expectations of what pupils can and will achieve
  • planning learning activities that more closely match pupils’ needs and abilities
  • ensuring that time in lessons is used productively
  • providing more opportunities for pupils to practise their writing skills in different contexts
  • planning challenging learning activities that develop pupils’ higher-order reading skills
  • developing pupils’ basic skills in mathematics
  • supporting pupils to develop accurate spelling skills.
• Improve children’s outcomes in the early years, by ensuring that:
  • adults have higher expectations of what children can achieve
  • staff consistently plan suitably challenging activities to enable the most able children, disadvantaged children and boys to make good progress. An external review of the school’s use of pupil premium funding should be undertaken in order to assess how this aspect of leadership and management may be improved.

Inspection judgements

Effectiveness of leadership and management Inadequate

• Leaders and governors have not ensured that all pupils receive an acceptable quality of education. Over time, leaders have not taken the rapid action needed to tackle the weaknesses in teaching in key stage 2. Consequently, pupils across key stage 2 make inadequate progress and the outcomes achieved by pupils at the end of Year 6 have been weak over time. Currently, leaders lack the capacity to address the weaknesses in the school without significant support.
• Leaders have an overgenerous view of the school’s performance. Despite improvements in attendance and the proportion of pupils achieving the expected standards in phonics, significant weaknesses remain which are not being addressed rigorously enough.
• The additional funding that the school receives for disadvantaged pupils is used ineffectively. Outcomes for these pupils in key stage 2 are inadequate and have been weak over time.
• Since the last inspection, leaders have relied heavily on extensive support from the local authority. Leaders have failed to capitalise on this support and, as a result, there has been limited impact on teaching and learning. More recently, leaders have received support from a multi-academy trust, but it is too soon to see the impact of this work.
• Procedures for checking and improving the quality of teaching, learning and assessment are not effective. Consequently, pupils complete work that is often not suited to their abilities. This limits the progress they make.
• Middle leaders have not received the training and support they need so that they can accurately check the school’s work. The impact of their actions to improve the quality of teaching and learning is limited.
• Leaders have failed to plan and implement a curriculum that successfully develops pupils’ knowledge and understanding over time. There are notable inconsistencies in curriculum provision across the school. For example, in subjects such as history and science at key stage 2, pupils are given few opportunities to acquire knowledge and skills. Teaching in Years 3 to 6, in a wide range of subjects, is typified by low expectations and teachers’ poor subject knowledge.
• Pupils with special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND) are mostly supported well and are currently making adequate progress. The SEND leader is keen to develop this area of the school’s work and make further improvements. However, she has too little opportunity to monitor the quality of provision and the progress that pupils make.
• Pupils have valuable opportunities to develop an understanding of how to be good citizens. For example, the school’s participation in the recent ‘Respect’ project enabled pupils to work with a range of agencies, including the police, on issues affecting the local community, such as anti-social behaviour.
• Leaders spend the physical education (PE) and sport premium funding appropriately. There is a high level of participation in sport and pupils benefit from regular opportunities for physical development.
• Newly qualified teachers may not be appointed.

Governance of the school

• Governors are loyal supporters of the school. However, over time they have not held leaders to account for their actions to improve teaching and pupils’ outcomes.
• The governing body has, in the past, too readily accepted leaders’ reasons for the consistently low outcomes achieved by pupils across key stage 2.
• Governors know where improvements are needed in the school and have recently undertaken a review of governance to improve their skills. They are beginning to challenge leaders about the school’s performance, but it is too soon to see the impact of this on the quality of education.

Safeguarding

• The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.
• There is a strong culture of safeguarding throughout the school. Staff complete appropriate training to enable them to be confident in keeping pupils safe.
• Leaders ensure that the relevant employment checks are in place to ensure the suitability of staff to work with pupils. Records for safeguarding are well maintained and show that leaders are tenacious in following up concerns about pupils. Leaders work in partnership with external agencies and parents, where necessary, to ensure the well-being of pupils.
• Parents and carers are confident that their children are well cared for. Pupils say that the school is a safe and a happy place. Pupils have a good understanding of how to keep themselves safe, such as when using a computer.

Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Inadequate

• The impact of teaching on pupils’ learning in key stage 2 has been inadequate over time. Staff’s expectations of what pupils can achieve are too low and, as a result, pupils are not achieving as well as they should.
• Teaching across key stage 2 does not meet the needs of pupils. Too often, tasks are not planned to match the needs of pupils with differing abilities. Sometimes, work is too difficult for pupils. Too often, time is wasted for the most able pupils because the work set does not provide an opportunity for them to deepen their knowledge and understanding. Consequently, pupils make weak progress across a range of subjects.
• The quality of teaching and learning in mathematics is too variable. Teachers expect pupils to complete simple mathematical activities when they have already demonstrated their ability to accomplish work that is far more challenging. Too often, pupils in key stage 2 undertake learning activities that add little value and fail to build on what they already know.
• The work in pupils’ books in mathematics and writing varies in quality and accuracy in key stage 2. Teachers do not demand enough from pupils.
• Pupils have little opportunity to practise their writing skills in different contexts. Consequently, standards in writing have declined in key stage 2.
• Basic errors in pupils’ writing and mathematics are not routinely addressed. Teachers do not have a clear strategy to help pupils to spell everyday words correctly. Older pupils in key stage 2 are, too often, making basic errors with calculations involving addition and subtraction.
• Teachers plan reading activities that develop pupils’ basic understanding of what they are reading. However, these activities do not challenge pupils well to use higher-order reading skills such as inference, or to express opinions about what they have read.
• Relationships between pupils and adults are mostly positive. In most classrooms, there is a calm working environment. Occasionally, some pupils can lose interest in what they are doing when learning has not been planned to meet their needs.
• Observations of learning and evidence from pupils’ books show that pupils make stronger progress in key stage 1 than in key stage 2 because teaching is better matched to pupils’ abilities.
• The teaching of phonics has improved recently following the introduction of a new scheme of learning. This is beginning to have an impact on outcomes for pupils in this subject.

Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good

Personal development and welfare

• The school’s work to promote pupils’ personal development and welfare is good.
• Pupils have a good sense of personal and social responsibility. They are keen to take on responsibilities, such as the roles of respect ambassadors and school councillors.
• Pupils recognise that the school keeps them safe. Pupils know how to keep themselves safe. They have a good awareness of how to protect themselves online. Pupils understand the different forms bullying can take. They say that bullying is rare but, if it does occur, adults quickly sort it out.
• Pupils participate regularly in activities that support charitable causes for people who are less fortunate than themselves. Projects such as ‘One World Week’ provide opportunities for pupils to develop an understanding of the plight of refugees, both in the past and presently.
• Pupils are confident to express their feelings and concerns. Through well-planned activities, pupils’ emotional needs are met. Potential conflict and problems between pupils are discussed openly and are quickly resolved.
• The school offers a range of after-school clubs such as archery, table tennis, football and netball. A breakfast club is available for all pupils each morning which is well attended. A range of playground equipment promotes healthy lifestyles through active games.

Behaviour

• The behaviour of pupils is good. Around the school, in the dining hall and on the playground, pupils are well behaved and courteous to each other and adults.
• Historically, pupils’ attendance has been well below the national average for primary schools. Leaders work closely with parents and pupils to reinforce the importance of attendance. As a result, overall attendance has improved and is now in line with the national average.
• Parents, staff and pupils all agree that behaviour is good and that the school keeps pupils safe and secure.
• In a minority of classes, a few pupils can become restless when the work they are doing does not maintain their interest.

Outcomes for pupils Inadequate

• Since the last inspection, pupils’ outcomes at the end of key stage 2 have been inadequate in reading, mathematics and English grammar, punctuation and spelling. The proportions of pupils who achieve the expected and higher standards in these subjects, and the progress pupils make from their different starting points, are significantly below average. As a result, a large proportion of pupils leave primary school without the knowledge and skills they require to access learning at key stage 3.
• Provisional assessment information for 2018 indicates that this picture of poor pupil performance continues in key stage 2. In addition, outcomes for writing have also declined sharply. For pupils currently in the school, evidence in workbooks shows that pupils are not making the rapid progress needed to significantly improve standards in English, mathematics and other subjects, such as history and science, across key stage 2.
• The provision for disadvantaged pupils has been ineffective over time. Additional funding for these pupils is not used well enough to improve their outcomes. Consequently, disadvantaged pupils make inadequate progress and are not achieving the standards of which they are capable.
• Pupils do not achieve well enough in subjects beyond English and mathematics. This is because coverage of these other subjects is weak in key stage 2. Learning is not planned carefully to ensure that pupils develop the necessary subject-specific knowledge and skills.
• Pupils with SEND make adequate progress from their starting points. However, occasionally these pupils are not being challenged to make stronger progress because time during lessons and targeted additional teaching are not used purposefully.
• Teaching does not consistently challenge pupils, and often work is too easy. As a result, pupils who are most able are not achieving the standards of which they are capable across key stage 2.
• Over time, pupils in key stage 1 have attained standards in reading, writing and mathematics that are broadly average. Workbooks show that pupils make adequate progress from their starting points. Provisional assessment information for 2018 shows similar outcomes to 2017 for the proportion of pupils reaching the standard expected for their age by the end of Year 2. However, the proportion of pupils achieving the greater depth standard has declined.
• Historically, the proportion of pupils meeting the required standard in phonics has been well below average. Improvements to the teaching of phonics in key stage 1 have resulted in a higher proportion of pupils achieving the expected standard in phonics in 2018.

Early years provision Requires improvement

• A large proportion of children do not have the skills and knowledge typically associated with their age when they enter the early years. During their time in the Nursery and Reception classes, some children make good progress. For others, progress is variable. Consequently, by the end of the Reception Year, fewer children than nationally gain the good level of development needed to get off to a secure start in Year 1.
• Over time, boys’ achievement has been well below that of girls. Current assessment information shows that this continues to be an issue.
• The achievement of disadvantaged children lags behind that of others. The additional funding the school receives to support disadvantaged children is not reducing the differences in achievement between these children and other children rapidly enough.
• The quality of teaching in the early years varies. Adults’ expectations of what children can achieve are sometimes too low. Some children, especially the most able, are not being challenged sufficiently, and, as a result, are not making the progress of which they are capable.
• The early years has a welcoming environment and a good range of quality resources of which children take full advantage. Adults plan interesting activities, especially indoors. For example, inspectors observed children preparing a pumpkin for Halloween, and they could clearly explain how they were going to create a face for it.
• The new leader for early years has acted quickly to improve the quality of provision and has identified key priorities for improvement, such as reducing differences in achievement and developing the outdoor area. These initiatives have been introduced recently and therefore have not had a measurable impact on outcomes for children.
• A recent focus on improving the teaching of phonics is beginning to make a difference to the quality of teaching. Children are now making stronger progress in their early reading and writing as a result.
• Routines are well established. Children behave well, are friendly and welcoming, and respond quickly to the instructions of adults. This contributes to a calm and orderly environment.
• Safeguarding arrangements in the early years are fit for purpose and regulations are met. Children are well cared for and kept safe.
• Leaders have developed good relationships with parents. Parents contribute and share in their children’s learning through the use of an online system for recording children’s achievements.

School details

Unique reference number Local authority Inspection number 121317 North Yorkshire 10042221 This inspection of the school was carried out under section 5 of the Education Act 2005. Type of school Primary School category Age range of pupils Gender of pupils Community 3 to 11 Mixed Number of pupils on the school roll 358 Appropriate authority The governing body Chair Headteacher Councillor Janet Jefferson Ruth Blamires, Cheryl Cappleman (Co-headteachers) Telephone number 01723 374244 Website Email address www.friarage.n-yorks.sch.uk admin@friarage.n-yorks.sch.uk Date of previous inspection 2–3 July 2014

Information about this school

• The school is larger than an average-sized primary school.
• The proportion of pupils who speak English as an additional language is just above the national average.
• The proportion of pupils with SEND is above average.
• The proportion of disadvantaged pupils, who are known to be eligible for support through the pupil premium funding, is well above average.
• The school provides a breakfast club each morning for pupils.
• The headteacher role is shared by two leaders who were not in their current posts during the last inspection.
• Leaders have received extensive support from the local authority and are currently receiving formal support from a multi-academy trust.

Information about this inspection

• Inspectors observed learning in all classes. Several lessons were observed jointly with the co-headteachers.
• A sample of pupils’ work from all classes was scrutinised.
• Inspectors listened to a selection of pupils read from all year groups.
• Meetings were held with pupils, the co-headteachers, other staff, seven members of the governing body, a representative of the local authority and two leaders from a multi-academy trust.
• Inspectors observed pupils moving around the school, including on the playgrounds, during breaks and in the dining hall.
• Inspectors scrutinised a number of documents, including the school’s self-evaluation, school improvement plans, attendance records and safeguarding information.
• Inspectors took account of the 42 responses to Ofsted’s online pupil survey, the 23 responses to the staff survey, the 20 responses to Ofsted’s online parent questionnaire, Parent View, and 20 free-text responses to Parent View.
• Inspectors spoke informally with parents at the start of the school day.

Inspection team

Alan Chaffey, lead inspector Cathy Morgan Lynn Kenworthy Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector Ofsted Inspector